The documentary introduces us to a powerful subject, Nihad Panju, who not only holds an intimidating world record but also carries within him a story impossible to look away from. After a serious illness as a baby left him battling partial paralysis, Nihad’s life was defined by long years of isolation, hard work, the many sacrifices and compromises that his ever-supportive family made, alongside discipline, perseverance, and the vehement refusal to quit. 

Overcoming the toughest odds, Nihad now holds the world record of being the fastest runner with hemiplegia to complete a half marathon, in addition to leading a deeply fulfilling and meaningful life. The visual and narratorial progression of the film does a notable job of capturing all of these emotions. In the end, the story that the viewer is presented with is one of hope and the indomitable nature of the human spirit, allowing the film to succeed in the communication of all its intentions with lucidity and impact.

Nihad Panju | Short Film of the Day

The entirety of the narrative is constituted by a single conversation between two men, pivoting on the metaphor of a bridge. Both located at vastly different ends of the social and financial spectrum, their experiences allow them one brief moment of overlap, to eventually give way to a tragedy. With his personal as well as professional life in tatters, a powerful corporate magnate finds himself at the end of his rope. The moment of the introduction of his circumstance to the audience is also accompanied by the knowledge of him having little to no idea about the life and experiences of his driver, a man with whom he has spent the better part of twenty-five years. As the conversation allows the man to make an important decision about the course of the rest of his life, the film suggests that sometimes the very crucial turning points are determined by the smallest realizations which truly make all the difference in the long run. Additionally, the film has smooth visuals, but loses points when it comes to effortlessness of the flow of the conversation between its two actors.

Pul | Short Film Nominee

The short film is an engaging psychological thriller that takes us into a night in Sid and Meera's life. The opening of the narrative establishes not only Meera’s profession as an environmental conservationist, but also her beliefs and ideas towards animals, and humans' relationship with them. However, the beginning marks the onset of something else as well- Sid’s disturbing fixation with a centipede Meera did not let him kill that night. 

As Sid’s sanity spirals into absolute chaos, he loses all sense of night and day, reality and dreams, and begins to see the worm everywhere. The story and its premise is a unique one, sure to capture the viewer’s attention. The writing further ropes in relationship dynamics, eventually tying the narrative with the suggestion that the love shared between two people, no matter how tormented or disoriented, always remains an integral component of their lives.

Human | Short Film Nominee

A man is riding a two-wheeler late into the night when the most unexpected set of developments begin to unfold before him. In the middle of nowhere, as if a stark, pale dot in the darkness, a man stands dressed in only a hospital robe. He asks for lift from our unsuspecting protagonist, who though wary and a little disturbed, agrees to help. The film then employs a little bit of jump scares, a little bit of the play of light in the dark, to bring to life its intentions. As the events continue to develop, will our protagonist truly see the end of this journey and reach his destination unscathed?

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